01iv3rs Blog

fuckyeahhiking: Easily one of the most beautiful and inspiring...

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:26:42 +1100

Easily one of the most beautiful and inspiring things I’ve ever seen. Literally brought tears to my eyes. Girl hikes through Iceland with her own HD camera and makes a short film about it. Also, The soundtrack is hard to beat.

I will get out there.

About 5 years ago, a friend of ours, Ken, sent us a strange...

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:27:49 +1100

About 5 years ago, a friend of ours, Ken, sent us a strange package in the mail. It turned out to be a remote control flying saucer. It was great fun, until it broke a few days later.

Today both my inflatable fish arrived - 1 shark and 1 clown fish. I bought them on on the strength of that video.

Lisa sent Ken his present today. With the message:

Hi Ken

For all the birthdays we forgot,

all your birthdays have come at once!

enjoy.

Photo

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:13:03 +1000

The House that Nightmares Built

Buyer's Remorse

Party Like it's 1999

Zoing!

Not long now. I booked a Mustang convertible for this road trip....

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:15:00 +1000

Not long now. I booked a Mustang convertible for this road trip. I hope the kids don’t cause us issues. This is should be a great adventure.

School of Hard Knocks

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:12:00 +1000

I can proudly say that I have my own personal trainer!

My 15yo son Seb, has been pretty difficult for a few years now. But I think we did the right thing and sent him to a rough and ready school at the beginning of this year - on his suggestion: http://www.frankdando.com.au/

60 Minutes did a very nice piece on the school: http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/8303117/school-of-hard-knocks.

Now he’s unbelievably fit and healthy, much more rational, full of confidence and moving forward with his life. He’s even starting to take an interest in his old man. We went surfing together a few weeks ago. He’s been taking me to boot camp, to work off my gut every week. We had our second session earlier today.

For the first time in almost three years I’m feeling very proud of him, even though he tried to drive our car, pissed out of his head last weekend.

Well done Seb!

Holidays fucking Holidays

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:25:00 +1000

Only two weeks ago I was in Vietnam with Lisa and Seb.

In two weeks time we are off again this time to Los Angeles, Big Sur, beautiful San Francisco and the Napa Valley. I think I was kind of smart when I bought $US dollars twice over the past few months when they hit AU$1.10.

Lisa booked the return air fares, I’ve booked a mustang convertible as our ride and promised to book transfers and two nights in L.A.

The rest of our trip will look after itself. I’m getting really excited about it.

I should be focusing on other things. But this SKC guy just...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:32:00 +1000

I should be focusing on other things. But this SKC guy just seems to come out with some very wise and timely statements.

I think I’m a year off from understanding this post. I...

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:25 +1000

I think I’m a year off from understanding this post.

I know the author, through his posts on the forum. He seems to know his stuff and what he/she is talking about. My level of understanding is somewhat less advanced.

Unbelievable footage.

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 21:44:00 +1000

Unbelievable footage.

Ouch! Big wave surfer Keala Kennelly injured after hitting the...

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 21:43:00 +1000

Ouch! Big wave surfer Keala Kennelly injured after hitting the reef at Teahupoo a few days ago.

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:20:41 +1000

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:58:15 +1000

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:57:17 +1000

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:56:04 +1000

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:53:49 +1000

Only 2:15 more minutes of your life you will never get back.

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:47:00 +1000

Only 2:15 more minutes of your life you will never get back.

Thrills Spills and Doctors Bills

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:24:13 +1000

Probably one of the scariest things I’ve done for a very long time was taking my daughter for a driving lesson this afternoon.

I wasn’t afraid so much for my own personal safety, but I was scared about sending her the wrong messages and also a little worried about paying for damage to our car or other peoples property.

She’s had about 7 lessons, so I thought what I’d do is drive along beach rd down to Mornington and let her drive back. I decided after hitting Mordialoc, I would let her drive from then on. It’s a two lane road and not much traffic and I thought I could gauge how she was doing and give her different tests from then on.

I did feel pretty comfortable driving with her at first - well it was kind of easy. You just follow the car in front of you. I was thinking back on when I first started driving and thinking about the traps you fall into when starting out on the road.

The first incident happened in Seaford, while I was saying slow down, slow down, STOP. The problem was we were halfway through an intersection and she ran a red light. I worked out what she was doing - she was concentrating too much on the car in front, staying within the lane keeping within the speed limit, checking the mirrors, but not paying attention to things like traffic lights.

I calmed down an the rest of the trip to Mornington was uneventful. We drove down to Mornington Pier where we were going to have some lunch in the cafe, however, I didn’t have any cash so we went to the posh place upstairs - The Rocks. I’ve secretly been meaning to go there for years, and today was the perfect opportunity. We each had the cider battered flathead, chips and salad - it was absolutely delicious.

After lunch I thought we should practice some reverse parking and three point turns. Manouvering an automobile is a bit of a challenge and she did have a bit of trouble but got there in the end.

I then drove the car down to Mount Martha and was looking for a spot called the ‘Pillars’ - it’s a place we used to dive into the water from the cliffs as teenagers. I couldn’t find it and then drove back to Mornington and let Hollie drive me back home.

On the way back I was clutching the handrail slightly more then when she was first in the car. It wasn’t long before she started veering too far towards the left of the road that forced me to lunge at the steering wheel to correct a possible collision with trees. We laughed it off and I kept my emotions in check. At Chelsea, the two lane road kind of disappears with cars parked on the left and the odd cyclist that created challenges for the new driver. She negotiated this ok, but there was a point where she almost collided with a car on our left and I was forced to intervene again grabbing the steering wheel. Not long after that I thought I would drive the rest of the way home - no ill feelings.

I think we both did really well today, and am kind of looking forward to doing it again next weekend - hopefully, I’ll find the Pillars.

Video

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:20:48 +1000

Why do people always say "at least you got out there?"

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:24:04 +1000

Today was one of those days. I pushed myself to go out for a surf. I looked at the cams and they looked ok, but the SE was blowing a bit, I said to myself - you will kick yourself in the morning if you don’t get out there.

I think it cost me $20 in petrol and two hours drive and for what? Sloppy, cold, south easterly 0.5 foot crap.

I should have just stayed home and watched repeats of Everyone Loves Raymond - and I hate that show, and that guys voice.

Thinking about my experience today - it wasn’t really that terrible getting out there today.

Apart from getting in my ill fitting wetsuit, pulling the board off the roof racks lurching into the freezing winter bass strait water. Then floundering around for half an hour on my board, catching the odd bit of slop. Then paddling to shore, disappointed. Taking off my ill fitting wetsuit and getting into wet clothes (my car still leaks water - different story) and putting my board back on the roof.

The great thing today was the drive home. I took a bit of a detour and looked around Shoreham this afternoon. A little seaside town on Westernport Bay, just before Flinders. The place had changed since I remembered growing up in the area.

I remember camping at the beach one Summer with some friends and bought 12 bottles of Brandavino. At the time guys drank Brandivino and girls drank Blackberry Nip - I didn’t make the rules. By the end of our camping trip we were mixing the stuff with sea water. I don’t think I drank Brandavino ever again. Come to think of it - I never see it in shops now.

The caravan park in Shoreham is still there, and looks the same - probably better, the trees have all grown. The little township looks very similar in that it hasn’t expanded much.

What changed is the one or two shops in the town had now closed (one had a for sale sign on the front). The big change was that in between the fibro holiday houses, were some of the most beautiful, architect designed homes with tennis courts, pools, sculptures, private vineyards, complete with long winding tree lined driveways with long views to Philip Island in the East to sweeping paddocks and bushland in the South.

I’d love to live in one of those places one day.

Rediscovered this great artist again tonight - what a great...

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 22:47:00 +1000

Rediscovered this great artist again tonight - what a great song.

I wonder if he’s still around - I’ll do some googling. I knew he had some alcohol problems.